Consciousness Is by Ron Esposito

What is consciousness? The term is extremely difficult to define because it is used to describe many different forms of consciousness. Someone in a state of deep and dreamless sleep usually experiences no consciousness, whereas somebody who is awake can be said to be conscious. This is known as waking consciousness. Waking consciousness requires an observing subject, a person who is aware. People can be aware of thoughts, feelings, emotions and memories, all of which are known as objects of consciousness. A person’s ability to perceive or experience an object in waking consciousness depends on selective intention and attention. People can be so lost in thought that they are barely aware of themselves or their surroundings. The fact that they are not aware of “being aware” does not mean that there is no consciousness at that moment. The awareness that we exist, the experience of a sense of subjectivity (our self-awareness), is another aspect of consciousness.